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Analysis of Hyoid Bone Using 3D Geometric Morphometrics: An Anatomical Study and Discussion of Potential Clinical Implications

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to obtain a quantitative anatomical description of the hyoid bone using modern 3D reconstruction tools and to discuss potential applications of the knowledge in clinical practice. The study was conducted on 88 intact hyoid bones taken from cadavers during forensic autopsies (group 1) and on 92 bones from CT scan images of living adult subjects (group 2). Three-dimensional reconstructions were created from CT scan images using Amira 5.3.3® software. An anatomical and anthropological study of hyoid bones was carried out using metric and morphological analyses. Groups 1 and 2 were compared to evaluate the influence of muscle traction on hyoid bone shape. Characteristics of the hyoid bone were highly heterogeneous and were closely linked with the sex, height, and weight of the individuals. Length and width were significantly greater in men than in women (39.08 vs. 32.50 mm, p = 0.033 and 42.29 vs. 38.61 mm, p = 0.003), whereas the angle between the greater horns was larger in females (44.09 vs. 38.78, p = 0.007). There was a significant positive correlation between the height (Pearson coefficient correlation r = 0.533, p = 0.01) and weight (r = 0.497, p = 0.01) of subjects and the length of the hyoid bone. Significant metric differences were shown between group 1 and group 2. This very reproducible methodology is important because it may lead to clinical studies in, e.g., head and neck cancer or sleep apnea. Such studies are ongoing in our research program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service d’ORL et Chirurgie Cervico-Faciale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) La Timone, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille (AP-HM)/Aix-Marseille Université, 264, rue Saint Pierre, 13385, Marseille Cedex 05, France

    Nicolas Fakhry, Justin Michel, Laure Santini, Danielle Robert, Antoine Giovanni & Patrick Dessi

  2. Unité d’Anthropologie Bioculturelle, CNRS-EFS, Faculté de Médecine Nord, UMR 6578, Aix-Marseille Université, 51 Boulevard Pierre Dramard, 13916, Marseille, France

    Nicolas Fakhry, Laurent Puymerail, Justin Michel, Laure Santini, Catherine Lebreton-Chakour, Pascal Adalian & Patrick Dessi

  3. Laboratoire de Médecine Légale et de droit Médical, Faculté de Médecine, Aix-Marseille Université, 13005, Marseille, France

    Catherine Lebreton-Chakour

  4. AP-HM, Hôpital Timone, Institut de Médecine Légale, 13005, Marseille, France

    Catherine Lebreton-Chakour

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  1. Nicolas Fakhry
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  2. Laurent Puymerail
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  7. Antoine Giovanni
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Correspondence to Nicolas Fakhry.

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Fakhry, N., Puymerail, L., Michel, J. et al. Analysis of Hyoid Bone Using 3D Geometric Morphometrics: An Anatomical Study and Discussion of Potential Clinical Implications. Dysphagia 28, 435–445 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-013-9457-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-013-9457-x

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